BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Some Buffalo businesses are calling for new restrictions on Chippewa Street following a deadly double shooting over Halloween weekend that claimed the life of a 19-year-old man.
The Chippewa Alliance is proposing to turn the entertainment district into a 21-and-over zone after 10 p.m., with safety concerns for younger crowds downtown.
"We understand that the two people that were involved in the shooting were both under 21. So, we think the first and easiest step to ensure a safer environment is to create a fun and inviting safe district for people of all ages and make people that are a little bit older feel a bit more comfortable because they're not walking through sidewalks of people who are teenagers," said Chris Ring, president of the Alliance.
Not everyone on Chippewa supports this. Tim Walton, event manager at Venu, would rather see action taken against youth who loiter around bars and said he wants to see "increased police enforcement rather than just patrol."
Common Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski, whose district includes this street, raised questions about how the proposal would work.
"Are there barricades? Who's the one that's IDing this? Is this the role of Buffalo Police? Can we afford additional detail and more overtime?" Nowakowski asked.
WATCH: Should Chippewa Street restrict anyone under 21 after 10 p.m.?
"We have a Chippewa detail," Nowakowski said. "I have spoken to the district chief who will be extending the police detail here on Chippewa to make sure that we can keep Chippewa safe."
Former Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia sees merit in the idea but said there are legal questions.
"There are some very good aspects to the idea, but you have to remember that Chippewa Street, the street and the sidewalks are a public thoroughfare. So the laws would have to be revisited and changed when you block a street off," Gramaglia said.
Gramaglia also emphasized the importance of crowd control measures when closing streets to traffic.
"Using barriers like 'bike racks and closing off the street is a key effort to reducing the size of the crowds that can congregate," Gramaglia said. "You keep them to the sidewalk, and you block off the street and you prevent traffic from coming down the street as well."
The Chippewa Alliance is holding a meeting on Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Forbes Theater, 500 Pearl Street.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
